“Linda set the jogging distance to 2.5 miles.” Said Jack.

  “Jogging distance set.” Said the AI voice on Jack’s watch.

  “Ok. Let’s go, Amy.” Said Jack.

  “Right.” Said Amelia.

  It was 5:00 a.m., and Jack and Amelia went out for their routine morning jog. The ceiling of the cavern was mildly lit by the lights from the bigger buildings in the city and the support structures holding the cavern. Not all lights in the housing area were turned on as it was still too early.

  “I never realized this, but, without our watches to tell the time, we’d never know if it's day or not.” Said Amelia.

  “If you live somewhere in Norway or near the Arctic, this would probably be what you’d experience, in addition to freezing temperatures of course.” Said Jack.

  “I always wanted to visit Svalbard and see the Auroras. But I never got the chance to ask Dad to take us there.” Said Amelia.

  “Well then, I guess we should add that to the bucket list. Once this is over, we can do everything we once wanted to.” Said Jack.

  “Is there anything you want to do after all this is over?” asked Amelia.

  “I've never really known what I wanted to do. If you ask me, I was content with what I had. However, I felt lost when making life decisions. I struggled to decide on a course for my life. So, in a way, when you insisted adamantly on joining the army, your safety gave me a reason to join as well. I guess this is my life's direction for the time being. And it's all thanks to you, Amy.” Said Jack.

  “Thank you too, for having my back.” Said Amelia.

  Jack and Amelia finished their jog and returned home at 5:30 a.m. They sat down and rested for a few minutes before Amelia got up.

  “Right! I need to get breakfast ready. Jack could you help me a bit.” Said Amelia.

  “Yeah, sure.” Replied Jack.

  At 6 a.m., Jack finished helping with breakfast and went to bathe, while Amelia laid the table and ate her breakfast as she read the morning newspaper. Jack entered the kitchen 10 minutes later to eat his breakfast.

  “Hey! Get this! They’re saying that artificial sunlight tech is near completion and will be launched next year.” Said Amelia

  “Too bad we won’t be able to see it. I can’t imagine these gloomy caverns to be filled with warm light. I wonder what that would be like.” Said Jack.

  “Yeah. But I’m getting a strong feeling that we won’t be needing it. Maybe by this year, we’ll eradicate this crisis once and for all.” Said Amelia.

  “Hey! Don’t jinx us before we even start, Amy! We haven’t even joined the ‘Outlanders’. Let’s get through that phase first.” Said Jack irritably.

  “Right, right. So, when do we leave? The letters said we have to be there by 8 right?” asked Amelia.

  “Yup! We’ll catch the 7:20 bus. There’s no bus after that, so we have to catch this one. That means you need to finish bathing quickly Amy. You take too long.” Said Jack.

  “That feels a bit rude, you know? I can bathe fast too.” Replied Amy irritably.

  At 7:20, they boarded the bus that took them into the city. It took them nearly 40 minutes to reach the venue as the gymnasium complex was located near the heart of the city, where traffic jams were commonplace early in the morning. After getting off the bus, they ran into the building before they could close it and begin the exam.

  “Are you both here for the physical examination?” asked a female on-duty officer.

  “Yeah. Yeah, we are.” Replied Jack and Amelia, both out of breath.

  “You’re just in time. A few more minutes and you might’ve not made it. So, Jack Foster and Amelia Foster, right?” said the officer after seeing the attendance list. “Proceed to the center field. And good luck.” Said the officer with a smile.

  “Thanks a lot, Ma’am.” Said Jack as he moved on with Amelia.

  The gymnasium complex was a large domed building, about 380 square miles, which served as the training institute for the ‘outlanders’ special division forces. The complex also had living quarters, a gym, a pool of 75 feet in length, A virtual reality training room, a fencing hall, and a cafeteria. It was by far, the largest building in the whole underground city. Jack and Amelia walked through several corridors before entering the vast open field in the middle of the center. Other candidates had also assembled in the field and were waiting for the arrival of examiners. A 400-meter sprint track ran around the edge of the field, while an obstacle course had been laid out on the grassy part of the field. Jack and Amelia made their way to the grassy part of the field, where everyone was waiting.

  “Wow! There are a lot more people here than I thought there would be. Guess they all passed the exam.” Said Amelia.

  “Well, there are people with all kinds of reasons to be here. These days you get a good reputation from others for being in this division. In addition, they promised that those who perform exceptionally will be given the highest awards and can expect a position as top-ranking officials once this crisis is over.” Said Jack.

  “Oh hey! There you are!” called out a familiar voice behind him.

  Jack and Amelia looked behind and saw a girl waving at them. She had brilliant green eyes and orange hair. Her oval face made her look adorable.

  “Hey. Long time no see.” Said Jack.

  “Yeah. I can’t believe that I’m here. This feels like a dream! I always wanted to join the army my whole life. And now, I’m finally at the starting line.” Said the girl.

  “Wow! Good for you.” Said Jack.

  “Thanks, Jack.” Said the girl.

  “You’re wel —Huh?! wait! How do you know my name?” said Jack.

  “Well, she yelled out for you back then, after finishing the test remember? Also I saw your name on your hall ticket when we were showing them to the inspector. I kinda remembered that as well.” Said the girl.

  “Wow. You’ve got some solid memory! That was like an entire month ago.” Said Amelia.

  “Yeah. People always said I had a sharp memory. Sorry, I never introduced myself. My name is Elena Jones. It’s nice to meet you both.” said the girl as she held out her hand.

  “Nice to meet you too.” Said Amelia as she shook Elena’s hand

  “Yeah, nice to meet you too, Elena.” Said Jack as he shook her hand.

  “So! Are you his friend?” asked Elena as she looked toward Amelia.

  “Nah! I’m his sister.” Said Amelia.

  “Waaah? You’re his sister?!!!” exclaimed Elena.

  Amelia replied by nodding her head.

  “Are you his older sister or younger sister?” asked Elena.

  “Younger sister.” Replied Amelia.

  “How old are you now?” asked Elena in a curious tone.

  “17.” Replied Amelia.

  “Woow! You must have some supportive parents. Mine didn’t want me to join underage. Even then, they weren’t supportive of my decision to join the army.” Said Elena in a dejected tone.

  “Actually, we don’t have parents. And Amelia almost didn’t tell me of her decision.” Said Jack.

  “Oh! I’m so sorry. I was being insensitive.” Said Elena apologetically.

  “No. Don’t worry. We weren’t offended in any way.” Said Jack.

  “So, you fought your way into the army?” asked Amelia.

  “Yeah! My parents didn’t want me to join the army. But I fought and somehow convinced them.” Said Elena.

  “I had a similar kind of fight with Jack. However, in the end, he decided not to leave me alone and joined the army too.” Said Amelia.

  “You got a good supportive brother then. Lucky you.” Said Elena.

  “Yeah, sorta.” Said Jack.

  “I Had to struggle with my parents for almost a month. It was thanks to my career advisor that I managed to convince them. Boy was it worth fighting with them. I am completely fired up for this.” Said Elena.

  Meanwhile, Amelia leaned her head over toward Jack.

  “Man, she’s talkative.” Whispered Amelia to Jack.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  “I told you so.” Replied Jack in a whisper.

  “But that’s what makes her adorable, doesn’t it?” whispered Amelia as she shot a mischievous glance at Jack.

  “Knock it off.” Replied Jack in a whisper with a slightly irritated look.

  “You guys say something?” asked Elena.

  “No, nothing.” Replied Jack.

  “So, what do you think they’ll ask us to do for this test?” asked Elena.

  “If you ask me, I think they’ll ask us to run this course.” Said Jack as he pointed toward the obstacle course in front of them. “Of course, That could just be one of the tests. Who knows what else they’ll ask.” added Jack.

  “I think they could ask us to— oof! Hey! watch where you’re going!” exclaimed Amelia at a candidate who hit her shoulder as he passed by her.

  The candidate was slightly taller than her and Jack. He had a broad face, with small black eyes and brown hair. He turned around to look at Amelia with a menacing stare.

  “Yeah? Who’re you to tell me how to walk?” asked the candidate with a malevolent tone.

  “Hey! Chillax! We’re not here for any trouble. Let’s all try to get along.” Said Jack as he tried to diffuse the situation. He donned a serious expression on his face as he did so.

  “Tryna be a hero are ya? How ‘bout I teach ya not to meddle with other people’s business?” said the cruel candidate as he brought his face closer to Jack’s to intimidate him.

  “Come on, Gordon. That’s not how you treat your future co-workers.” Said a voice that seemed to be filled to the brim with arrogance.

  Another candidate walked out from behind the taller candidate. He had a slim face with a sharp chin, blonde hair, and pale blue eyes. He was approximately the same height as Jack.

  “I’m sorry. My friend here forgot his manners. He should have introduced himself first. My name is William. William Hauser. It's nice to meet you.” Said the candidate as he bowed to Jack.

  “This guy here is my family friend. Name’s Gordon. He lacks….elegance, which you must have noticed when he bumped into you. Also, he’s a bit sensitive, so when you yelled at him, he felt a little …. upset. I hope you don’t mind.” Said William.

  “It’s ok. She’s not hurt. Right, Amelia?” said Jack.

  Amelia was about to protest this response when she noticed Jack gesturing her to calm down.

  “Yeah. Fine.” Said Amelia with a discontent look.

  “Good! That settles it. Say, are you ladies friends with this guy?” said William as he pointed toward Jack.

  “Yeah. So what?” asked Amelia.

  “Surely you could fi—” said William before he was interrupted.

  “All right! Settle down! All of you!” said a loud voice from their left.

  They saw a group of people entering the grassy part of the field. Two people seemed to be leading the group. The first person was a bald man sporting a horseshoe mustache with sideburns. He radiated an air of authority as he walked with confidence onto the field. The second person wore a brown suit, and a red tie and had a black framed spectacle. He gave off the aura of an FBI officer, striding across the field with purposeful steps. Jack and Amelia immediately recognized the second person and were visibly happy to see him. The rest of the group consisted of three people who appeared to be physicians. The group stopped in front of the candidates and addressed them over a mike.

  “I bid a very warm welcome to all the candidates present here. I am the secretary of defense and the founder of the ‘Outlanders’ special army division, Frank Anderson. First of all, I would like to congratulate each and every one of you on passing your AFQT test held in the preceding month. We will now be conducting the physical examination to see if you have the energy and fitness to join the ‘Outlanders’. Those who pass this exam will be inducted into the army special division, and their training will start in earnest. Any questions?” asked Mr. Anderson.

  “Excuse me, sir.” Said a voice from behind. Everyone looked in the direction from where the voice came. A girl was raising her hand eagerly in the middle of the crowd. From her looks, she seemed to be an Asian-American. She had jet-black hair, grey eyes, and a heart-shaped face filled with enthusiasm.

  “Yes, please?” said Mr. Anderson.

  “You are holding this exam after we have all been accepted into the special army division. What would happen if we were to fail this test? Would we be sent back home?” asked the girl.

  “Ah, yes! Thank you for pointing out. To think I almost forgot. All right! You don’t have to worry if you fail this test. Those who fail will be appearing for a second physical test. This test will be to recruit you into the Wall Security Force. As you are aware, Our crops are grown on the surface and all the radio and communication devices used to facilitate communication with neighboring cities are also situated there. We can’t have them be destroyed by the X-beasts. So we still have the wall that we constructed 12 years ago, and we have the wall security force to ensure that the wall stays upright. So, it is also a crucial responsibility for which we need recruits. However, You will be given two choices in this respect. You can either take the test for the WSF, or you can try for the ‘Outlanders’ again next year. You will be given that freedom. Now if there are no further doubts, I would like to hand the mike over to my friend, Major General Brian Hill.” Said Mr. Anderson as he handed the mike over to the man with the mustache.

  “All right! We will hold three different events for this test. The first will be a 400-meter sprint race for male candidates and a 200-meter sprint race for female candidates. The second event will be a set of basic exercises that you have to perform in a stipulated period. The third event will be tackling this basic obstacle course you see in front of you. The three physicians here will be judging you based on your stamina and vigor. Now then. Let’s begin the first test.” Said Major General Brian.

  The participants were divided into groups of five for the 400- and 200-meter race. Jack was in the first group for the race, along with William. The second the gun was fired, Jack began running. Although he was going relatively slower than the other sprinters, he had enough speed to keep up with the other sprinters.

  “Come on, Jack! Run a little faster!!” yelled Amelia.

  But Jack continued to maintain his pace. After about 3 minutes, the rest of the participants started to slow a little due to exhaustion. At this point, Jack began picking up his speed rapidly, passing all the other sprinters in his group, until finally, he took the lead and placed first. Amelia whooped loudly at her brother’s win. She high-fived Jack as she moved on to the field for her 200-meter sprint while Jack moved on to the second event. Each participant was asked to complete two minutes of sit-ups, two minutes of push-ups, and two minutes of crunches. Having exercised for an entire month, Jack completed the exercises easily and well in time. He was unable to see Amelia’s sprint race but was happy that Amelia placed first in the race just like him. He moved on to the final event, the obstacle course. Since the course was set up for beginners, Jack was able to complete it in 4 minutes. Jack was told to take a seat in the spectator's gallery to await his results. Jack sat down and watched Amelia as she lined up for the obstacle course along with Elena.

  “So, Jack was it?” said a voice, which Jack recognized as William.

  “Yeah.” Replied Jack.

  “Huh?! Is that all you have to say to me? You’re kind of boring judging by your response.” Said William.

  “Hmmm.” Replied Jack as he focused on the events.

  “I saw your performance there. You were very sloppy. Your strides were very short and inelegant. I was far better and I finished it much faster than you did. I think I may just pass with the top grade.” Said William.

  But Jack remained silent at William's comments. Instead, he watched Amelia’s turn in the obstacle course. William was clearly not pleased with Jack’s ignorance.

  “Oh? Now that I pointed out your sloppiness, you’re suddenly silent. Does it hurt you so much to hear someone criticizing your efforts?” said William in a taunting tone.

  “The way I see it, You’re the one who’s being bitter about me coming in first and you placing second.” Said Jack calmly as he watched William’s face turn a shade of red.

  “Yeah. I saw your run in the sprint race. You were really desperate to come in first. You would have taken first place if you hadn’t focused on showing off by raising your hand as if you had won it all.” Said Jack

  William’s Face grew redder and his brows contorted in anger as he listened to Jack calmly taunt him.

  “Hmph. You think you’re better than me, don’t you? Well, know this. This will be the only time you ever insult me. I’ll make sure you never talk to me in that arrogant tone. I’ll make you respect me by becoming the commander of this squadron. You’ll regret ever crossing words with me.” Said William in an angry tone as he walked away from the spot.

  “Was he causing trouble?” asked Amelia as she came in along with Elena.

  “Yeah. The guy’s got some serious superiority complex. I get the feeling he’s gonna be a real pain in the butt. By the way. You did great Amy.” Said Jack.

  “Thanks. You fooled me in the sprint race. I thought you were tired. But you were just really saving your energy, huh?” said Amelia.

  “Yeah, it was a smart strategy. I think you would be a good tactician.” Said Elena.

  “Oh, come on! It was just a simple tactic. Nothing more.” Said Jack.

  It took 20 minutes for all the candidates to finish the physical test, and another 5 minutes before they were recalled back to the field.

  “All right then. The physicians have decided on who would be selected for the ‘Outlanders’ division. Their names will be displayed on the screen behind me. Check your names in the list. Those who aren’t on the list will come over to the left side, while those on the list will move over to the right side.” Said Major General Brian.

  The list projected itself on the screen. Countless names were on the board. Jack surmised that about 80-90% of the candidates must have passed to have so many names on the board. Jack knew he would be selected, but a tiny amount of self-doubt was lingering in his heart, so, he began to search his name nervously. He looked at the top ten finishers to see if he was in it. As Jack browsed the list, he found himself in second place, with Amelia in first. Ecstatic, he looked toward Amelia, who was standing beside him. She looked back at him with the same ecstatic look on her face. Both laughed and shared a victory high-five before moving to the right side of the field. They spotted Elena also joining their group and were visibly happy. On the left, a group of five people were standing, with disappointed looks on their faces. One among them, was Gordon, the candidate who had bumped into Amelia at the start of the test. After the two groups were formed, Mr. Anderson came forward and addressed the groups.

  “My congratulations to both the groups! You did your very best, whether you failed or succeeded. Now, the candidates on the right will be given accommodations here in this training complex. You are given a period of three days starting tomorrow, to gather all the stuff you feel is necessary and move them to the living quarters in this facility. You will attend an orientation where you will be briefed about your training, your dorm assignments, and other details. For those of you who lived alone with the support of the government, you needn’t worry. Your homes will be well taken care of and none of your other possessions that you won’t be able to bring here will be harmed. As for the group on the left, you have two choices. You can either refuse to take the WSF test and retry next year, or take the test and join the WSF.” Said Mr. Anderson. None of the five candidates moved. Seeing this Mr. Anderson addressed the crowd again.

  “Wonderful! Now then. The group on the left will have a break of about half an hour before we commence the WSF test. Please head over to the canteen and take some refreshments. The rest are permitted to go home. We eagerly await your arrival to our dormitories in three day’s time.” Said Mr. Anderson.

  Jack and Amelia proceeded toward the exit along with the other candidates. They spotted Elena running toward them

  “Hey! Awesome job you two. First and second place?! You two might just be the rockstars of the academy!” said Elenea.

  “Aw shucks! You’re embarrassing us.” Said Jack rubbing his head.

  “She’s right you know.” Said a familiar voice from behind.

  Jack and Amelia turned around and saw Mr. Anderson standing behind them, hands behind his back.

  “Uncle Frank! It’s so good to see you!” said Amelia as she hugged him.

  “Likewise, Amelia. You two did a fantastic job. Seeing the two of you here reminds me so much of your parents. You two are so much like they were. Strong, fierce, and supportive of each other. I kinda feel nostalgic” said Mr. Anderson with a wide smile.

  “We are their children. But I promise that we’ll work to be even better than they were.” Said Jack.

  “That’s more like it. I look forward to seeing both of you in the institute.” Said Mr. Anderson.

  With these words, Mr. Anderson returned to the field. Amelia and Jack exited the field while Elena, clearly surprised, continued their conversation.

  “The secretary of defense is your uncle?!!!!! Wow!! Did not see that coming.” Said Elena in a surprised tone.

  “He’s not actually our uncle. He is our parent’s best friend and our Godfather.” Said Amelia.

  “Woow! That’s so awesome. Just one recommendation from your godfather and BAM! You guys could become top-ranking officers in no time!” said Elena in an excited tone.

  “Nah. I don’t wanna climb the ladder that way. Like Jack said, we’re gonna surpass our parents and I prefer we did it with our own effort. Ain’t that right Jack?” said Amelia.

  “Absolutely!” exclaimed Jack.

  Elena looked at their determined faces. A smile came upon her face involuntarily.

  “Yeah! Go for it with full speed, you guys!” said Elena.